The UNIX environment includes a bundled "make" utility which runs in the UNIX shell, to enable software having multiple source files to be rebuilt into executable or other final form during maintenance. Software maintenance includes updating and modifying software files and then rebuilding files and code dependent upon the changed files. Software being maintained typically includes multiple independent software modules (e.g., .o's). According to the bundled UNIX "make" utility, rebuilding or "build" is accomplished serially by recompiling one source module at a time and then relinking the resultant object files into an executable software product which can be shipped to the customer. According to the prior current source files can be recompiled in parallel at a selected local data processing machine. The cross-referenced applications incorporated herein provide background and details of a current implementation of make. In particular, the make utility identifies source files to be used in rebuilding, compiles the source files serially or in parallel at a single processing node with a suitable compiler, and links the resultant object files into a new rebuilt executable program or other file. A C++ compiler is used to recompile modified .cc object files. A C compiler is used to recompile modified .c object files.
The make utility is useful because it processes many make jobs during build processing which result in creation of an updated resultant software entity which incorporates changes made in precursor code elements used to construct the final entity. The complexity and the workload of the make utility reduces speed of performance. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop make methods, apparatus and computer program which speed the build process and enables more speedy and effective software maintenance and file modification operations. Furthermore, the software programmer performing build jobs on multiple files or code elements has little oversight over the status of individual build jobs are completed or interrupted due to error nor on what data processing node a particular job is performed. Additionally, a technical difficulty exists ineffective resolution of errors occurring during make or build jobs. Error diagnosis is thus currently difficult and cumbersome.